Your airways have their own cleaning crew. Cells with tiny beating hairs sweep sticky mucus, full of dust and germs, up and out of your lungs.
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The tubes that carry air to your lungs are lined with special cells. On top, each one has lots of tiny hairs called cilia.
Next to them are cells that make sticky mucus. Dust and germs in the air get stuck in it, like flies on sticky paper.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Beat the cilia.
The cilia beat together in waves, like a crowd doing the wave at a stadium. This pushes the mucus up toward your throat.
Then you swallow it or cough it out, and the dust and germs go with it. Your nose has these cells too, and the mucus there can dry into boogers!
Cilia beat about 10 to 20 times every second!
Press Sweep the mucus to watch the dust get carried away.
Drinking water helps keep mucus runny so it is easy to sweep. Smoke can slow cilia down, so clean air helps them do their job.
Home activity: Sit in a row with friends or family, palms up. Wiggle your fingers in a wave to pass a scrunched paper ball down the line. You are acting like cilia!